


Warm Illusion

by hyliank8



Series: Sanster Experiment AU Collection [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Begging, Blood, Delusional Thinking, Desperation, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Stockholm Syndrome, Unethical Experimentation, Unreliable Narrator, W. D. Gaster is not related to Skelebros, brief mention of gore from a Bad Experiment(tm), experiment au, fake memories, painfully one-sided Sanster, strikethrough as literary device (lol), warm-cold motif
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26162875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyliank8/pseuds/hyliank8
Summary: S-01 is in love with his creator.(It hurts.)
Relationships: W. D. Gaster & Sans, W. D. Gaster/Sans
Series: Sanster Experiment AU Collection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905070
Comments: 24
Kudos: 53





	Warm Illusion

**Author's Note:**

> more sanster experiment au oh boy

S-01 takes a shaky breath as he settles down onto the thin, uncovered cot, trying not to jostle his injured leg too much in the process. 

It’s cold in here, but even the biting air won’t be enough to keep him awake much longer—not after an exhausting day like today. S-01 knows that from experience.

_“Sans, sweetheart,” Gaster says kindly. “I’m so sorry, but this is going to hurt, okay? Will you be strong for me?”_

_Of course he will. Anything for Gaster._

_“o-okay. it’s okay, doctor gaster, i can take it.”_

The tests were rougher than usual today. But it’s okay; S-01 is always willing to— 

~~_It’s so painful. It’s so much worse than it usually is; the doctor hasn’t given him any anesthesia this time. His tibia is on fire where the serrated edge saws mercilessly into it, the pain white-hot and blinding. S-01 tries with everything he has to get away from it, but there’s no escape._ ~~

~~_“no, no! please! please stop!_ _ please! _ _”_ ~~

~~_“Stop crying, S-01,” the doctor snarls. “It’s not going to help anything, and by_ _god_ _it’s irritating.”_ ~~

—he’s always—Gaster’s always so kind to him, so of course, S-01 is always willing to help him. And he was nice today, too. Really, he was, it’s—it’s okay, S-01 is happy to help him with his research. He’s a very important part of it, after all.

~~_“Stop_ _struggling_ _, S-01. It’s pathetic. Do something right for once, won’t you?”_ ~~

~~_please please i’m trying to be good i’m trying so hard please stop it hurts_ ~~

S-01 is not shaking, he's _definitely_ not. And if he is it’s just because it’s a little bit cold in here, that’s all. Because Gaster was nice today. He was.

Gaster really values his help, too. The doctor’s research is going to save all of Monsterkind; that’s what he keeps saying. S-01 is lucky to be such an important part of Monsterkind’s future, and he’s even luckier to know a wonderful monster like Gaster. And Gaster enjoys his company, too, enjoys having him around.

And if anything ever goes wrong, or if anything hurts, it’s not like that’s Gaster’s fault. Like today, when the doctor’s conjured hands gripped S-01’s wrists so hard that they started to bruise. It was S-01’s own fault for moving around so much; he could’ve messed up the experiment, and it’s always very important that Gaster’s work is perfect. It’s not like the doctor had a choice; of course S-01 had to be restrained.

And the doctor probably didn’t realize how much it hurt, either. S-01 is sure he wouldn’t have grabbed so hard if he knew how painful it was.

Gaster probably just didn’t realize that S-01 was sobbing because he was in pain. He probably didn’t understand why S-01 screamed until his voice went raw. S-01 should’ve used his words, like the doctor always tells him to with that ~~wicked~~ sympathetic smile.

~~_stop, stop hurting me, please, i’ll be good, i’ll be good for you just like you want please_ ~~

S-01 shivers and curls in on himself, bringing his knees closer to his sternum, moving as carefully as he can to prevent his throbbing tibia from being disturbed any further. He pulls his gray medical gown over his knees to cover his legs, and it’s so loose-fitting that it fits over them with ease. The thin fabric does little to protect him from the cold air around him, but it’s better than nothing.

He steals a paranoid glance at the ~~barred~~ entrance to his ~~cell~~ room before reaching into the cavity of his ribcage and gently pulling out the soft, purple scarf he stuffed there earlier. He grabbed it quickly, after today’s experiment when Gaster wasn’t looking—he was occupied for a while with cleaning up the ~~blood~~ sweat from the table S-01 had been ~~strapped to~~ laying on moments earlier.

~~_There’s a lot of blood this time._ ~~

Even if there had been other monsters in Gaster’s private lab whom the scarf could have belonged to, S-01 would still know it’s Gaster’s—it smells just like him. He wraps the scarf around his shoulders and cuddles the extra fabric close to his chest, burying his nose in it, letting its warmth seep into his bones. He inhales deeply, savoring the scent... it’s vague, but there’s no mistaking it. The immaculate cleanliness of the labs tinged with the faint trace of bitter coffee is a unique mix, but somehow each distinct fragrance complements the other perfectly. 

It’s S-01’s favorite smell.

The scarf is warm, so much warmer than his medical gown. It’s the only thing that shields him from the frigid air. The way the fabric is wrapped around him, it’s almost like the doctor himself is shielding him from the cold. He imagines the doctor wrapping his arms around him, enveloping him in his scent, in his love, holding him close. He imagines burying his face in Gaster’s lab coat and breathing in deeply. The scent on the scarf is faint, but he imagines it’s stronger, like he’s really hugging Gaster.

 _I love you so much, Sans_ , the doctor would say. S-01 imagines how the words would sound leaving his mouth, imagines them in the low timbres of his voice. _You’re so important to me. You did so well today_.

It’s okay that the room is cold because the scarf is warm, the doctor’s embrace is warm.

Some distant part of him realizes that Gaster will be ~~terrifyingly furious~~ unhappy with him for taking something of his, but S-01 can’t bring himself to care about that right now.

S-01 buries his face further in the scarf, forcing it to soak up his tears before they have a chance to escape his eyes. His soul aches as he lets the doctor’s scent surround him.

He's never wanted anything so badly in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not super happy w/ this one but then again when am i Ever. i wrote this Relatively quickly bc i wanted 2 try 2 get outta writing block,, i'm @ this stage where i'm cycling between like 7 wips and just adding like a sentence to each one every day and it is Painful sdflks
> 
> fall semester has also started so now i have less time in general, but. between this experiment au, the wartime sanster au, and the vampire gaster au,,, my brain will not be resting any time soon. i'm hoping i'll be able to get some more vampire gaster stuff posted next, but it's anybody's guess really 🙈
> 
> come talk on [tumblr (sfw)](https://hyliantimelordin221b.tumblr.com/) or [twitter (18+ nsfw)](https://twitter.com/K8Maybe) or [elsewhere](https://hyliank8.carrd.co/) if u want :D
> 
> if u leave a comment i lov u


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